


Rainbow

by CityofEmeralds



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Acephobia, Asexual Awareness Week, Asexual Character, Asexuality, Coming Out, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Internalized Acephobia, M/M, Roblivion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-05-16 00:17:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19306786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CityofEmeralds/pseuds/CityofEmeralds
Summary: “So, what did you want to talk about?”Liv paused for a moment. She had been thinking about how to come out to her mum for weeks but now that she was actually here, she was drawing a blank.“Well… Since I’ve been living in Emmerdale, I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve grown as a person and changed—well, not changed— I suppose I just wanted to tell you...I’m asexual, mum,” Liv disclosed, quietly.Sandra stared intently at Liv before scoffing.“You’re a what?”Liv drew in a steady breath, steeling herself against anything that might come.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well the sky is finally open, the rain and wind stopped blowin'  
> But you're stuck out in the same old storm again  
> You hold tight to your umbrella, darlin' I'm just tryin' to tell ya  
> That there's always been a rainbow hangin' over your head
> 
> ~ Kacey Musgraves

Liv wasn’t sure what to do. 

She had been pacing outside the Mill for the last twenty minutes after returning from her counselling session where she had been discussing her mother’s recent visit to Emmerdale.

Sandra Flaherty had arrived a week ago, unexpectedly, wanting to spend time with her daughter. Liv was somewhat resistant to her mother’s request but with a little encouragement from Aaron and Robert, she ultimately relented. 

Throughout the visit, Liv had been thinking about opening up to her mum. The pair had never been close and they had only grown further apart since Liv moved to Emmerdale three years ago. The teen had felt largely responsible for the decline of their relationship and guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders. 

Liv was always careful about what she shared with her mother. The girl entered every conversation with a tight lip, not knowing how Sandra would react to the information she received. Despite Liv’s caution, Sandra knew about most major changes in her life: being sentenced to the youth detention centre, passing her GCSEs, becoming a sister to Seb and attending college. The only thing that Sandra didn’t know about was her sexuality. 

Liv had been actively contemplating her sexuality for the past year. Reflecting on her experiences, analyzing her emotions and thinking about her boundaries had taken a lot of work but ultimately, she was proud of her progress. 

The teenager was still coming to terms with the label ‘asexual‘. The word seemed to hold so much weight. It scared her. At first, she was afraid to even say it, as if the simple utterance of ‘asexual’ would irrevocably change who she was. After a lot of counselling as well as encouragement from Aaron and Robert, she was finally ready to start coming out—starting with her mother. 

Liv took a deep breath and entered the Mill. 

“Hiya, how was your day?” Liv asked. 

Aaron glanced up from the papers that were laid out in front of him on the couch. “I’m alright, just looking at some paperwork for the scrapyard.”

Liv stood awkwardly in the middle of the living room. “Yeah, yeah…cool,” Liv shrugged, visibly distracted. Her gaze drifted towards her hands where she was fiddling with the hem of her shirt. 

“Well, come sit then. No point standing there.”

Liv audibly gulped before nodding. She peered around the room, dropped her bag and sat down at the far end of the couch.

Aaron immediately noticed her odd behaviour. “Liv,” he said, directing his full attention towards the teen. “What’s going on?” 

“I’m fine. Don’t know what you’re on about,” she muttered under her breath. 

“Come on, Liv. I can tell something’s bothering ya. Are you worried about school?” 

Liv shook her head but didn’t offer any more information. 

“Did something happen with Jacob?” 

Once again, Liv remained silent. 

Aaron sighed in response. “Look, I’m not going to be able to help unless you tell me what’s going on.”

“It’s nothing, alright! Just— I’m just being stupid,” Liv exclaimed. “I was thinking… while my mum is here, I should tell her about how I’ve been feeling. You know… about my s-sexuality,” she stuttered, forcing the words out of her mouth. 

She glanced towards her brother but as soon as they made eye contact, she immediately retreated. Liv could feel his intense gaze on her. Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming urge to escape to her bedroom. 

“Hey, listen here,” Aaron said softly, shuffling towards Liv. He draped one arm over the back of the couch and rested the other next to her. “Do you _want_ to come out to her?” 

Liv shrugged, “I think I owe her some sort of explanation. Whenever we talk, she always asks about boys and dating. I've tried to play it off, ‘cause I didn't know what I wanted...but, yeah, I don’t want to lie to her anymore.” 

“You don’t have to come out to your mum if you don’t want to. You don’t owe her anything.”

The teen nodded, “I guess I’m just nervous.”

“Yeah, I get that. She was fairly accepting with me and Rob, maybe it won’t be as bad as you think.” 

“Does it ever get easier?” Liv asked, her quiet voice projecting throughout the flat. 

“Coming out? Yeah, I guess so…at least it was for me. Plus, people are more open-minded than before. It’s still nerve-wracking though, cause you never know how they’re going to respond. You just gotta do what makes you happy. And no matter what happens, I’m here for you… and Robert is, too.”

Liv’s cheeks turned a bright shade of pink as she smiled, embarrassed by Aaron’s emotional response. 

“You’re soft, you know that, right?” 

“Yeah, I know… but only with people I love.” Aaron said, sweetly, a dopey look forming on his face. 

Liv pretended to gag and Aaron chuckled at her antics. Deciding she needed some time to think, Liv grabbed her bag from beside the couch and walked towards the staircase. 

Her feet echoed loudly on the steps before she paused and turned back towards her brother. 

“Thanks, Aaron.” 

Aaron gazed fondly, “No problem, Liv. I’m dead proud of you.”

Liv’s lips quirked upwards, almost smiling and then she continued her journey upstairs.

Once in her room, Liv unlocked her phone and selected her mom’s contact information. Liv’s thumbs paused over the keyboard as she thought about her message. 

**15:17 Mum, do you want to meet in the Woolpack tonight? We need to talk before you go back to Ireland.**

A few minutes later, she received a response. 

_15:20 Sure, honey. I’ll see you at 7, yeah? ___

____

__

——————

Liv stepped into the Woolpack with a few minutes to spare. The pub was fairly empty. Cain was the only familiar face she saw; he appeared deep in thought, staring intensely at his pint. Liv continued looking around the Woolpack until she spotted her mum sitting at one of the tables. There were a few empty glasses scattered around her. 

“Hi, mum.” 

“Hiya, Liv. How’ve you been?” 

“Fine…” Liv said, slowly. She gazed apprehensively at her mother, after immediately noticing the glasses on the table. This was not unusual behaviour for Sandra. Throughout Liv’s childhood, Sandra’s blatant disregard for Liv’s wellbeing combined with ongoing alcohol and drug use had led to a repetitive pattern of neglectful, absentee parenting. It was one of the main reasons why Liv had wanted to live with Aaron in the first place. 

Sandra was nasty when she was under the influence—and it worried Liv. 

“Mum, how many have you had?” 

“Not that many.”

“But if you’ve been taking pills, you shouldn’t be drinking.”

“Liv, I don’t need you keeping tabs on me. I can handle myself.” 

The teen took a deep breath and released it slowly, just like her counsellor advised. It didn’t really help. 

“You know what… maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all,” Liv said, slowly rising from her seat. “I’ll see you later.” 

“Oh, for heaven's sake, Liv. Calm down. This is our last night together, do you think we could be civil for a few hours?” 

A wave of guilt rushed over Liv. She pursed her lips and nodded. She could do this. 

Sandra tapped on the table, encouraging Liv to sit down. 

“So, what did you want to talk about?” 

Liv paused for a moment. She had been thinking about how to come out to her mum for weeks but now that she was actually here, she was drawing a blank. 

“Well… Since I’ve been living in Emmerdale, I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve grown as a person and changed—well, not changed— I suppose I just wanted to tell you...I’m asexual, mum,” Liv disclosed, quietly. 

Sandra stared intently at Liv before scoffing. 

“You’re a what?” 

Liv drew in a steady breath, steeling herself against anything that might come. 

“I-I’m asexual… it means—it means that I’m not sexually attracted to anyone— boys or girls,” Liv bowed her head slightly, not making eye contact. Her hair fell gently in front of her face. She knew being asexual wasn’t shameful or embarrassing. Her brothers had been adamant that she wasn’t broken but in the end, she couldn’t help feeling self-conscious. 

“I don’t understand, I’ve seen you with that boy—Jacob—around town. I don’t know what you’re trying to pull here but this isn’t funny.” Sandra’s voice increased in volume. Liv briefly saw Cain glance up from his pint before immediately redirecting her attention towards her mother. 

“I’m not trying to be funny,” Liv stressed. “Look, I know it’s kinda weird but I’ve never had sexual feelings towards anyone.” 

“Oh, Liv, you’re just confused. You have no idea who you are yet, you’re only seventeen.”

“I know I’m young, but this is how I feel. I’ve talked to Aaron and Robert and they’ve been really great about it.” 

“I should have known those two would have something to do with this,” Sandra muttered, throwing her hands in the air. She rose from her chair, swaying slightly. She didn’t look well. 

“Wh—what?” 

“You heard what I said. You were normal when I left you here and now look!.” Suddenly, a thought dawned on Sandra. “Oh my God, was it Gordon? 

“N-n-no! What? Gordon had nothing to do with it. That's not how this works.”

Sandra nodded her head, accepting that Liv was telling the truth. An uncomfortable silence hung in the air before Sandra’s eyes went wide, as a new, perverse idea entered her mind. 

“Did Aaron—did he do this to you? Did he touch you?”

Liv felt as if the air had been punched out of her lungs. Traitorous tears welled up in the corner of her eyes. She couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mother’s mouth. “Mum, Aaron would never do anything like that. How could you say that about him? About me? This is who I am.”

“Liv, I think we should go. I don’t know what you’re on about but this is not who you are. We can fix this. We can fix you.” Sandra stood up and gathered her belongings before grabbing her daughter’s wrist. Her grip was strong, effectively dragging the girl towards the door. 

“Don’t touch me!” Liv yelled, pulling her arm away from her mother’s grasp as her vision went white.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> I started watching Emmerdale in February during Liv's asexual storyline. As someone who identifies as aro/ace, the asexual representation on Emmerdale has meant the world to me. I have been so impressed with how the writers and actors have handled this storyline thus far.
> 
> I decided to write this story because I am interested in how Sandra would react to Liv's sexuality. Fair warning: Sandra is not portrayed as a very likeable person in this fic. I tried to make this as realistic as possible but I did take some liberties with her character. A lot of the things she says is based upon my own experience coming out as asexual.
> 
> Also, please let me know if there are any major mistakes/inconsistencies and I'll do my best to fix it.
> 
> ~City of Emeralds


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please… Cain…” Liv whispered. The words were spoken so quietly that Cain had to strain to hear her plead. “Can we go home?” 
> 
> “Yeah, c’mon,” he said with determination in his eye, as he walked with Liv towards the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear: the first section is written from Cain’s perspective and the second and third sections are from Aaron/Robert’s perspective.

_“Liv, I think we should go. I don’t know what you’re on about but this is not who you are. We can fix this. We can fix you.” Sandra stood up and gathered her belongings before grabbing her daughter’s wrist. Her grip was strong, effectively dragging the girl towards the door._

__

__

_“Don’t touch me!” Liv yelled, pulling her arm away from her mother’s grasp as her vision went white._

——————

Liv’s exclamation caught Cain’s attention. His stool scraped violently against the floor as he rose from the bar. Cain’s feet pounded against the hard wooden floor until he stopped abruptly in front of the Flaherty’s table. 

“Woah, woah, hey there, what’s going on?” 

“Well, my daughter just—you know what? It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. It’s none of your business. Liv, let’s go.” 

Sandra reached out to grab Liv’s arm again but the girl immediately flinched away. 

“Liv, now. We’re leaving,” Sandra said as she rounded the table. 

Suddenly, Cain positioned himself in between the mother and daughter. He had never been especially close to Liv but she was an honorary Dingle and thus, he had a duty to protect her. 

Cain gazed down at Liv. His demeanour softened when he noticed her appearance. The girl’s hair was astray, falling wildly over her face. Liv’s eyes were red and brimming with unshed tears. She seemed vulnerable, scared, hurt and uncomfortable. Most of all, Liv looked young. Too young for all of this shit. 

“Liv?” Cain asked, his voice echoing through the pub. 

Liv didn’t appear to be listening, instead, her attention was directed towards her mother. 

Cain maneuvered his body, blocking her line of sight. “I need you to be honest with me, yeah? Can you do that?” 

The young girl nodded slightly. 

“Do you want to go with your mother or should I take you home?”

The question was simple but Liv wasn’t able to respond. Heavy gasps escaped from her chest as she began to hyperventilate. Sweat pooled on her brow and she appeared utterly nauseous. 

“Liv, you listen to me right now. You’re comin’ with me,” Sandra ordered, slurring her words ever so slightly. 

Cain snapped his head around to face Sandra. Anger burned in his eyes. 

“You will shut it and let her answer my question,” he sneered. 

Sandra’s teeth clenched together with an audible click. 

Cain turned back to Liv. As soon as they made eye contact, something in Liv broke. 

“Please… Cain…” Liv whispered. The words were spoken so quietly that Cain had to strain to hear her plead. “Can we go home?” 

“Yeah, c’mon,” he said with determination in his eye, as he walked with Liv towards the door. 

“You can’t take my daughter from me! Who do you think you are?” Sandra exclaimed, not willing to back down. The mixture of pills and alcohol seemed to sign her death wish. Clearly, she was unaware of what Cain was capable of when his family was threatened. 

“Oi! What’s with all the yelling?” Chas asked, her voice emanating loudly from the back room. When Cain glanced over, he saw his sister and Paddy enter the bar. 

“Chas, I need to get Liv home. _Watch her,”_ he said, nodding towards Sandra. 

He placed his hand over the small of Liv’s back, as the pair left the bar. In the distance he could just make out the sound of Sandra’s shrill voice. 

As soon as they exited the Woolpack, the cool breeze seemed to clear the fog that was present within Liv’s head. 

Her eyes grew wide, as if suddenly realizing the events that had just occurred. Cain noticed her behaviour and immediately put an end to it. 

“No, no, no. You’re not doin’ a runner. Not in this state,” He said, firmly. 

Initially, it appeared like Liv was going to protest but the fire quickly faded out of her eyes. 

“O-okay,”

The pair walked in silence towards Mill Cottage. There was nothing more to be said. 

———————

Aaron and Robert were enjoying a quiet evening to themselves. The couple had just finished dinner and were sitting on the couch watching TV. Aaron was resting his head gently on Robert’s shoulder when suddenly, the men were interrupted by footsteps coming up the pathway. 

The men exchanged worried glances with one another. Liv was supposed to be at the Woolpack with Sandra and they weren’t expecting any visitors. 

Robert and Aaron were both surprised when Cain burst through the door with Liv trailing behind him. 

Cain appeared tense, his eyebrows were drawn together and his lips were pursed into a permanent frown. Liv, meanwhile, looked absolutely gutted. 

“Liv—?”  
“Cain, what’s going on—?”

The men spoke at the same time. 

Liv glanced down at her feet, unable to make eye contact with her brothers. Attempting to save face, Liv quickly excused herself and ran up the staircase towards her room. 

“Cain, what the hell happened with Liv?” Aaron asked, frantically. 

The older man took a deep breath, steeling his nerves. 

“Perhaps you should put the kettle on.” 

Robert glanced at his husband, again, before following Cain’s suggestion. 

———————

“Ta,” Cain said, accepting the warm beverage from Robert and taking a long sip from his mug. “What was Liv doing in the Woolpack tonight?” 

“She was meeting with her mum. I think Liv was planning on coming out before she left.” 

Cain nodded, solemnly. “That’s what I thought and from what I heard, it didn’t go very well.” 

“Cain, just come out with it out already!” Aaron yelled, concerned for his sister’s wellbeing. Robert placed his hand on Aaron’s arm, providing some semblance of comfort. 

Cain reached towards his face, pinching the bridge of his nose ever so slightly. Slowly, in a somewhat detached voice, the older man recounted the events that had occurred earlier that day.

He recalled Sandra entering the pub around 17:30. She had ordered a pint, followed by another and another. By the time Liv arrived, the woman was completely out of it. Although Cain tried to grant them privacy, he couldn’t help overhearing Liv coming out to her mother. He described Sandra’s visceral reaction and how she discredited Liv’s sexuality as if it didn’t exist. When Cain disclosed the accusations that were made against Aaron, both of the men’s faces turned ashen. 

“I-I would never,” Aaron stuttered, his body heaving as he struggled to intake air. “She must know that. After all that happened with—“ 

Aaron gagged at the thought of hurting his sister. He grasped his hands together tightly, fingernails digging into his palms. 

Robert looked over and placed his hand on Aaron’s knee. “I know that, Aaron,” he declared, attempting to reassure his husband. “We all know that.”

Aaron wiped his tears away with the back of his hands. He exhaled deeply, tension releasing from his body. After a few moments, Cain continued. 

“You might consider speaking to a solicitor. Liv’s mum seemed adamant about leaving with her. She tried draggin’ Liv right out of the Woolpack.”

Both Aaron and Robert nodded, silently. The men would contact their solicitor first thing in the morning. 

“Thank you for stepping in and bringing her home,” Robert said, kindly. 

“Yeah, who knows what would have happened if you weren’t there,” Aaron chimed in, agreeing wholeheartedly. 

“Yeah, well…” Cain stammered, clearly uncomfortable with the open display of gratitude. “She’s a Dingle.” 

Aaron and Robert grinned at Cain’s declaration. The men sat in silence for a moment before Cain rose from his chair. 

“I’d best be off,” the older man uttered. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do about her mother, alright?” 

The couple nodded, acknowledging Cain’s offer but hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Cain’s morally ambiguous methods of handling situations were typically used as a last resort. 

After Cain left, Aaron and Robert looked at each other and simultaneously sighed. 

“I can’t believe I encouraged her to come out,” Aaron said, guilt welling up inside of him. 

“You had no idea what Sandra would do, none of us did. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have allowed her anywhere near Liv. I can promise you that.” 

“This is the last thing Liv needs right now!” Aaron exclaimed. “She just started accepting her sexuality.”

“I know, it’s not fair.” 

“What are we gonna do, Robert?” 

“We’re going to go upstairs, make sure Liv’s alright and then figure out what to do about Sandra.” 

“How can you be so calm about this?” Aaron asked, somewhat accusingly. 

“I’m not. I’m angry and frustrated and unbelievably sad but none of that is going to help Liv right now. We need to keep our wits about us and do what’s best for Liv.” Robert said, firmly holding Aaron’s gaze. 

Aaron bowed his head,“You’re right, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap.” 

Robert shook his head in understanding, instantly forgiving his husband. 

“I get it, you’re just worried about her. Speaking of which, we should probably check on Liv before she decides to do anything stupid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, 
> 
> First, I’d like to thank everyone for your kindness. I’m fairly new to writing fics and your comments and kudos have meant the world to me. If you want to offer any additional words of encouragement or suggestions for the future, I would greatly appreciate it.
> 
> Second, I’ve tried my best to keep the characters similar to their presentation on Emmerdale, but have taken some liberties with their actions/dialogue. I debated having Liv react differently, perhaps lashing out at her mother, but ultimately I think it’s very possible she would withdraw from the situation. Personally, I would, especially if my mother was devaluing my sexuality and making heinous accusations towards my brother. Plus, I like some good, old-fashioned hurt/comfort. 
> 
> Last, I’ve written most of the third chapter already and I should be posting it next week. I might consider writing a fourth chapter just to wrap everything up, but I’m not sure yet. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter!
> 
> City of Emeralds


	3. Chapter 3

_Knock Knock Knock_

Aaron’s hand tapped gently on the locked door. The two men stood outside Liv’s bedroom, waiting for her to respond. So far… she had been silent. 

“Liv? Cain’s gone home, it’s just us now. Can we come in?” Aaron’s concern was evident in his tone of voice. 

“We just want to talk and make sure you’re alright,” Robert continued, trying to reach the teenager. 

_Knock Knock Knock_

“Come on, Liv!” Aaron exclaimed, pounding harder. The man jostled the door handle, willing it to unlock. 

Robert laid a hand on top of his husband’s shoulder, providing emotional support. He was concerned for both Liv and Aaron. 

Tears began to form in Aaron’s eyes. “Liv, please…” he begged, quietly. His hand thumped once more against the door in resignation. 

“Okay, Liv. We get it, you want to be left alone. We’re going to be down stairs when you’re ready to talk,” Robert said. 

Just as the men were about to turn around, they heard the sound of footsteps coming towards them. A soft click emanated from the archway, as the door was unlocked and pried open. 

Liv emerged slowly from her room. Her face was ghostly pale and her eyes were bloodshot. Her emotions seemed to be simmering just under the surface. 

“There, see, I’m fine. You can stop worrying now, goodnight,” Liv said, abruptly. 

Aaron and Robert were taken aback by her attitude. They were expecting Liv to be an emotional wreck but instead, she was putting up a front and attempting to act as if she was unbothered by her mother’s actions. 

Her brothers tried to respond but she cut them off. 

“Leave me alone, I don’t want to talk about it!” She retreated quickly into her bedroom, shoving her body weight against the door in an attempt to close it. 

“Liv! Wait!” Aaron yelled, wedging his foot in the door frame, “Cain told us what happened at the Woolpack.” 

“No, go away,” Liv said, echoing her previous statements however, this time, her voice was weaker and less resistant. 

“Please, Liv,” Robert pleaded, “You don’t have to say anything...can we just come in?” 

Liv took a deep breath but it didn’t seem to help. She took another and another. Suddenly, her breath hitched as she began to sob. 

Her brothers immediately realized something was wrong and pushed their way into Liv’s room. 

The young girl surrendered, as her body went limp. Her shoulders were hunched in a defensive position, as if trying to protect herself from further emotional distress. 

Robert immediately stepped forward, placing his hand around Liv’s waist, gently guiding her towards the bed and sitting down. He held her close, not wanting to let go. 

Meanwhile, Aaron knelt on the floor and gazed worriedly up at his sister. 

“Liv? L-Liv...you’re alright. Just focus on your breathing, yeah? You need to calm down, you’re gonna make yourself sick.”

“Yeah,” Robert chimed in, “everything’s gonna be okay.” 

“Nothing’s okay, Rob!” Liv hiccuped, over her sobs. 

Aaron and Robert let her exclamation hang in the air, unsure of what else to say. 

Seconds passed. Then, minutes. 

The siblings sat silently in the room, providing Liv with some space to process her feelings.

Eventually her breath slowed, ushering in a sense of calm. 

She reached towards her face, using the back of her hand to wipe away the wetness that had gathered there. As Liv dried her tears, her sleeve slipped down her arm, exposing her wrist, which was in the process of turning various shades of blue. 

Robert was the first to notice. “God, Liv, what happened to your wrist?” 

Aaron glanced down in horror, immediately assuming the worst. 

“Oh,” Liv uttered, dumbfounded, trying to recall when that had happened. “I dunno… I think my mum might’ve grabbed me.” 

Aaron flinched at this information as he ran his hand aggressively across his chin in disbelief. “I’m gonna kill ’er,” he muttered angrily. Aaron glanced up at Robert who also had a murderous look in his eyes. 

“No, Aaron. Please, don’t do anything. This was all my fault,” Liv stated, forcefully. “I should have explained it differently or waited for a better time. I was stupid to think that she would be fine with it—fine with me.” 

“W-what? You can’t possibly be blaming yourself,” Aaron gasped, rising from the floor and onto the bed. “Liv, none of this was your fault.” 

“But—but I should’ve known how she’d react.” Liv stuttered as she brushed a strand of hair out of her face. 

“No, you had no idea and neither did we,” Robert said, firmly, rubbing his hand across her back in soothing and repetitive patterns. “She’s your mother. She should accept you for who you are, no matter what.”

Liv nodded her head slightly, trying to internalize what her brothers were saying. 

“I don’t think she meant to say anything,” 

Robert and Aaron exchanged glances again, “What do you mean?” Robert asked. 

Liv paused, as if attempting to determine what to share. After a few moments she sighed. 

“When I got to the pub, mum had been drinking,” Liv sniffled. She used the back of her sleeve to wipe away her tears. 

Robert reached into his pocket and removed a handkerchief, handing it to his sister. Liv smiled slightly, and dabbed her eyes dry. 

“Go on,” Aaron encouraged. 

The young girl took another deep breath, steadying herself for what was still to come.

“Mum had been drinking earlier and I think she had also been taking pills. She was swayin’ on her feet and wasn’t acting normal. I don’t think she meant to say anything,” she argued. 

“Maybe not, but she still said it, right?” Robert asked. 

Liv closed her eyes and nodded. 

“And her words hurt?” 

Liv nodded again. 

Robert gathered his thoughts before continuing, “Liv, your mum is a grown woman and she’s responsible for her own actions. She made choices today that hurt you but none of that is your fault. Do you hear me?” 

“Yeah, okay, I hear ya,” Liv admitted, quietly. 

“And whatever happens with you mum, Rob and I will always be here for you,” Aaron said, echoing his husband’s sentiments. 

Aaron smiled at his sister and received a smile in return. Liv leaned into Aaron’s side, placing most of her weight against his body. His arm reached across her shoulders, pulling her into a hug. Liv closed her eyes and seemed to relax for the first time that day. She quickly fell into a deep sleep. 

Aaron maneuvered his sister until her head was lying on the pillow. Meanwhile, Robert gathered the duvet and draped it over her small frame. 

When the men were sure she would be alright for the time being, they left the room, quietly shutting the door behind them. 

The long road ahead was just beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright folks, this is the end for now. I have some ideas regarding how I might extend this fic but for right now, it's complete. 
> 
> Thanks for holding tight and staying with this story. This chapter has been sitting on my desktop for the last few months but in honour of Asexual Awareness Week, I thought I would publish it. 
> 
> Feel free to follow me on tumblr @into-the-roblivion for more emmerdale/roblivion. I'm posting content related to AAW 2019 right now because we definitely need more representation!


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